Holiday Entertaining — Make Chalkboard Chargers

October 28, 2010

It’s Thursday and it’s time for the last post in the Mrs. Bliss Holiday Workshop

I have really enjoyed this being a part of this series of Holiday Tips and Ideas!! There have been so many wonderful ideas for making our lives easier during this upcoming Holiday Season !!The complete links are at the bottom of the post.

Today I’d love to share a super simple and fun Entertaining idea that can be used all year round!

Chalkboard Chargers

I found some cheap, plastic chargers at my local discount store for $1 each.

1. This is the most important step. If you are using plastic chargers, spray them first with Primer made for Plastic!! I made the mistake the first time of using regular primer. That does not work with plastic! If you use primer for plastic — your chalkboard paint will stick.

2. Spray your chargers with Chalkboard Spray Paint. You can find it at your local hardware store – like Home Depot.

3.Another must have — Chalkboard Pens!!! How did I not know about these before?? They are incredible!!! I big puffy heart them. And they come in all sorts of wonderful colors!! I bought mine at Micheal’s — use a coupon from their website. And they also sell them through Amazon.

Once you get the chargers painted you can use them for all sorts of events during the year.

HELLO! I read through a couple of tutorials on painting the plastic chargers, and purchased the plastic primer (brand you show) and Chalkboard pain and I am wondering if you roughed up your plates or did something else? I painted the primer about 3:30 p.m. and the chalkboard paint at 9;30 this evening. Correct temperature ranges for both products. The chalkboard paint looked good for a moment or two then started small bubbling and cracking. Any suggestions? I am not a crafty type person ….but I did think I followed the directions!?!? Thank you

marian » I’ve never had that problem — sorry. Perhaps try waiting 24 hours between coats? Also, you might want to try using the chalkboard spray paint in really light layers. Good luck and let me know how it goes! We can share your tips here.

Jen… this is SO brilliant! I'm having major idea envy :). Just kidding – but I have a stack of gold chargers that I never use… I think I would use them more if I painted them with chalkboard paint! Instead of place cards, you could put your guests names on them.

I'm cracking up as I write this because I wanted to say how the chalkboard paint makes your place settings 'contemporary'. Then I realize just how old I actually am and how long chalkboards have been around, heehee.

But what a great tabletop addition! And it IS stylish. And chalkboard pens? What a cool idea!

Would love for you to stop by this weekend and link up to Passion for Paint!

This idea is fabulous and I am definitely going to have to start looking around for some cheap chargers to try this. I have some big silver terracotta ones I got from Pier 1 years ago (which I LOVE) but this is a really cute idea to change things up!

OMG!!! I just became a follower and have to say this is the BEST idea ever!!!!!!!!!!!! I am REALLY into tablescaping so am going to do this for SURE!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much for the idea and tutorial! XO, Pinky

Thank you for your brilliant idea! I totally want to make some. If I can't find cheap chargers, I'll paint my gold ones that I really only use on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. The chalkboard kind will work all 12 months!

I found you through Melissa at Inspired Room. I love your chalkboard charger idea. I had painted some copper after first priming them, because I wanted copper chargers and didn't like the price on copper! I think the chalkboard idea is so amusing and fun. I just added chalkboard paint to the shopping list.

Great idea…I have some black wooden ones that needed touching up and I'll be putting the chalkboard paint to them now. I'm also curious about the PENS? Do they erase easily? Curios minds want to know…thanks, Robertarlphilbr13@aol.comhttp://con-tain-it.typepad.com

I love this idea. I throw an annual back to school party for my kids each year and this would be such a fun addition, not to mention so versatile. A quick question about the chalkboard pens, do they erase just like regular chalk?

Wondering what your experience with the pens is so far as far as them coming off without leaving permanent marks…many amazon reviewers complained about that? Have you tried them on chalkboard vinyl? Do they come off that as well?

That is such a great idea and I love the ornament place cards too! I seriously can't believe you got that much snow. Everybody down here is excited because this weekend our temps are only supposed to be in the 70's:)

Wow! This is a terrific idea! Thanks. I plan on using this for Thanksgiving and then for the Ladies Tea that my church usually holds. And since I can use them for all kinds of celebrations, I'll be using them again…

I can not believe you got snow already, Jen! We are having our Indian Summer week here ~ 70's and humid. I love this project! What a great idea. I knew about the chalk pens because I do use them on my kitchen chalkboard {well, just the white at the moment}. I'll have to share this with my daughter, I think she would like this idea, plus it's a cute and inexpensive way to dress up a table.

Great idea! I have a whole pile of gold chargers I bought forever ago, regretted in right away because I knew I would never use them and they have just been taking up space. Now, I know what to do with them! Thanks!

I'm blown away everyday by your fabulous ideas…and all the great ideas you find. And my deepest condolences on the snow. That's why we moved south. Well, my husband moved cause he got a job down here. I was just happy to get away from the snow. Hope you have a lovely day. Also, I'm now a follower on Twitter. I bit the bullet. MommaRachel4

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[…] for this month’s Pinterest Challenge that I got it down a few weeks early! When I saw these chalkboard chargers Jen made from Tatertots and Jello they immediately went on my to make list! (pre-pinterest so I just pinned it last […]

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I'm Jen. Welcome to Tatertots & Jello, where I love to share creative tutorials and inspiration every day. I'm a busy mom of 4, and you can usually find me knee-deep in my latest project. ... More…